After fighting Joshua, Ngannou reveals memory loss
In a candid interview following his recent defeat in the boxing ring, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou spoke openly about the challenges he faced during his bout against Anthony Joshua.
The fight, which took place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw Ngannou suffer a second-round knockout at the hands of the British boxer, marking a significant moment in his nascent boxing career.
Despite entering the fight with confidence bolstered by a commendable debut against Tyson Fury, Ngannou found himself overpowered by Joshua's experience and skill. A pivotal moment occurred in the first round when Joshua landed a powerful straight right, sending Ngannou to the mat.
Although he managed to finish the round, the initial knockdown proved to be a harbinger of what was to come. Ngannou was ultimately unable to mount a significant challenge before being decisively taken down with another right hand in the second round, ending the match at 2:38.
Reflecting on the fight, Ngannou revealed a startling detail to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. He confessed that his recollection of the events between the rounds is nonexistent.
"My memory and my vision kept going," Ngannou said. "I don't remember when I came back from the stool to go to the second round.
"From the stool, in between rounds, I wasn't there anymore. Some days are just not your day and you can't explain what happened. It was quite weird."
Despite the loss and its accompanying concerns, Ngannou remains resolute, expressing no regrets over his performance or strategy, including his decision to fight in a southpaw stance, a choice he defends as being instrumental in his prior success against Tyson Fury.
"I do not have any regrets," Ngannou asserted. "Now that I lost the fight, we can say anything that I've done wrong.
"We worked on everything, and everything was OK. This was all my choice [going southpaw]. Even in Southpaw, my defense is more sharp than orthodox.
"In the southpaw, to take a hit from the right backhand, this is something that in sparring never happened, and I've been there so many times practicing. With the same southpaw, I think we won the fight against Tyson [Fury]."
Looking ahead, Ngannou's passion for boxing remains undimmed. While some fans and observers might worry about the implications of his memory loss on his future in the sport, the fighter is keen on returning to the boxing ring before stepping back into the MMA octagon.
As Ngannou contemplates his next moves, the combat sports community watches with a mix of admiration and concern, hopeful for his success and safety in whichever arena he chooses to compete next.
